Developing an Inpatient Group Psychotherapy Program: Challenges and Lessons Learnt

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Inpatient group psychotherapy in Iran has historically been limited, often confined to research or individual therapist interests.
• There was a need to establish a structured and sustainable inpatient group psychotherapy program within a clinical setting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share the experience of developing and implementing an inpatient group psychotherapy program at Roozbeh Psychiatric Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
• To delineate the process, challenges, and outcomes of creating a treatment guideline for inpatient group psychotherapy.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical framework development and drafting of a program guideline.
• Conducting two pilot sessions to gather initial data and feedback.
• Refining the guideline based on pilot experiences and implementing the program for over a year in a female ward.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive guideline for inpatient group psychotherapy was successfully developed and finalized.
• The program provided a structured approach to group therapy within an inpatient psychiatric setting.
• Sustained implementation for over one year demonstrated feasibility and potential for broader application.

Conclusions:

• Developing inpatient group psychotherapy programs presents unique challenges, including managing diverse patient psychopathology and high comorbidity.
• Structural constraints such as limited session time and out-of-group patient interactions require careful consideration.
• The developed guideline offers valuable insights for establishing and managing similar programs in psychiatric hospitals.